Left lane squatters

[msinc]

My mother in law drives so slow we tease her about it...at least she dont hog the left hand lane though. I tell everyone that she can get on the D.C. beltway and in less than 5 minutes catch up to the traffic jam she is causing!!!!
Seriously, I would like to build a high horsepower, jacked up on nitrous, twin turbo, full blown vehicle with a humongous snow plow blade on the front so that I can not just plow, but run into and hit so hard they are thrown clean off the road and OVER the power lines...I cannot stand a crawling left hand lane mini van driving idiot!!!!!

 

[BearBio]

A few observations:

1. In Washington, obstructing the left lane is cause for a ticket, regardless of your speed.
2. In most states, passing on the right is legal, as long as there is a lane. Using the shoulder (i.e. no lane) is illegal.
3. In Washington, flashing your lights is considered "aggressive driving" and cause for a road rage ticket.
4. I adhere to my Rule of Twos (in the snow): Drive 1/2 as fast, brake twice as far, slow down twice as much for turns.
5. Remember, the right lane is the most dangerous because of people getting off and on. Most accidents are people "Just going up the road an exit or two"!
6. Just yesterday, our Admin Assistant told me she saw 3 cars upside down or on their side on Monday in the Pass (coming back from Seattle). All people heading towards the Coast. Most likely "Westies" driving too fast. Happens every Sunday in the winter when the skiers come over.

I basically have no problem as long as the person ahead is doing the max speed limit (or, as allowable under conditions) and is going faster than the right lane is. I lived in Los Angeles for 50 years and have seen it all (including several fatalities). My driving instructors were my dad (30 years as a Teamster and not a single moving violation) and my uncle, who designed Mickey Thompson"s land speed car (406 mph) and was a crew chief at Indianapolis.

Now, we will continue with your regularly scheduled programming!

 

[islamoradamark]

my wife passes, drives slow, looks out the window drives me nuts .Now i just tilt my seat as far back as it can go so i cant see and maybe i will just doze off alot less stress

 

[glowe]

This is a very scary thread. I see road rage incidents brewing in many posters future. Chill out - you can not cure stupidity single-handed!!!

I had a friend that always complained about left lane drivers and would do many of the actions stated in this thread. He ran up behind a driver one day on an expressway and blinked his lights. The driver slammed on his brakes and you know the rest of the story. My friend got the ticket and totaled his car. Was it worth it???

Life is too short and the road is already full of disasters waiting to happen. I hope our members never become a "statistic", but many reactions I am reading are certainly headed in that direction.

 

[DeadAye]

In Texas some state highways have signs stating the left lane is for passing only, but it seems some people can't read. It sure is annoying when the posted speed limit is 70 or75 and the left lane squatter is doing 55 or 60.

Oh, they can most likely read - Just not English...

 

[roarindan]

I've been behind a left laner when a Trooper came whisteling up behind me, I pulled over but the laner didnt, the cop kinda crowded him, and he never looked in his mirror, this went on for about 2 miles until the trooper took a uturn and went to his barracks. That laner went on down the road as if he was in his right mind.

I've also messed with some on the interstate here, if they don't pull to the right lane I'll wait 'til I can pass on the right, then get back in front of them and slow down hoping they get the Idea about courteous driving. (but some times they'll wait til I'm aways ahead and move back over!!)

ok,, flame me.. ont ker

 

[wbraswell]

Well, P&R and I think alike on this. In Texas and many other states have had signs that read "Slower traffic keep right". This is the way I've always driven. I will drive in the left lane, as it is often a much better surface, but I am always aware of traffic behind me. As soon as I see someone closing on me, I get right. I don't have any fear of someone getting angry with me. I can get ugly with the best of them, or the worst. I'm am not getting in the right land to pass, unless I'm in a big hurry. I'd much rather sit on their bumper and annoy them. I once followed a couple over 40 miles because they wouldn't move over. They were going less than the speed limit. I got behind them, not too close, they wouldn't get over. So I get a little close, then he slows down about 5 MPH, but won't get over. So, I get close, he taps his brakes, not slowing down, so I get close enough with my F-100 (they were in a little Grand Am) that I can't see his brake lights anymore. Finally, when my exit came up, I got closer than I ever did, just as I was changing lanes to hit my exit. His "lady" rolled her window down to shake her finger at me. I blew her a kiss. Was I over the line...yeah. Do I regret it...not one bit. I am usually a good courteous driver, but I give what I get. Get out of my way.

 

[Cpo1944]

At the time I thought it was neat that Richard did that, but - at the time he was running for office-, and it ended up costing him the election.

Why not take a tip from Richard Petty and just give them a gentle nudge on their rear bumper?

 

[ladder13]

I like the left lane, it makes it much easier for me to text without worrying about the speeders entering the roadway.

 

[tops]

Open highway? I'll agree with you. In the city, I'll stay right where I am if I am going over the speed limit (which I always am). I figure most of the time I am going faster than other lanes, and I will not bow to some self entitled person. Sometimes if I'm in no rush I'll move, but I will not be forced to believe I am obligated to. And if someone came up to me and flashed their lights, I am sorry but I am most definitely not going to move.

Please see my post #20. Larry

 

[NYlakesider]

The great unspoken issue in this already-lengthy thread is, what if the car ahead of you in the left lane is already exceeding the speed limit by, say, a "safe" 5 to 7 miles per hour?

I don't encounter as much problem with slow drivers in the left lane as I do when I am in the left lane, slightly exceeding the speed limit, with traffic on the right hand side so I can't move over even if I were inclined to do so.

Still, cars will catch up with me ahead of them in the left lane, get on my bumper, and ride there as if they're just daring me not to speed up to match their excessive speed, or else to elbow my way into the right lane so they can continue on their speedful way.

And if they flash their lights at me while they're performing this stupidity, I will respond with one of the few times I ever give another driver the finger. Count on it.

I regularly drive a short portion of Interstate 95 on my comings and goings here locally, and the idiocy of so many of the drivers there is absolutely overwhelming. Speed limit is 70 in that stretch, and yet some folks there seem to think 80 is the least anyone should travel. Grrrrrr......

First off, I'm a fast driver (where safe) basically my whole life and I have a clean driver's license! I find the left lanes in my area many times to be the slower lanes. The left lane bandits all appear to hog them with the theory I'm doing a legal/sort of legal speed and I am not pulling over for anyone to go faster.

OBTW that goes for vehicles with sirens and flashing light many times as the driver of I'm in front and ***** you is oblivious to traffic conditions. AC on full, music blearing, on the cell phone and in a world of their own. Yes I have seen cops and other emergency vehicles blow sirens/ horns, flash lights and all the other lights they have and give up and pass on the inside.

I drive/drove interstates (6 lanes dived roads often both as a regular driver and piloting a large sized CDL truck.) and the stuff I have seen.

As for me when I'm in the left lane I try to get out of their as soon as I can. I do not have the belief that I have the RIGHT to keep peoples speeds down because I think they're going too fast. A cop I'm not!

 

[Krell1]

At the risk of upsetting our forum members from Kalifornia I'll make the following comment.

I travel back and forth to Las Vegas quite often. It's a 2 hour ride for me and I always deal with left lane hoggers. Most of the time I see license plates on these cars from Kalifornia. Maybe just happens when I'm driving. Just sayin.............

 

[snake803]

Your assumptions here are incorrect. Flashing your high beams at the person driving in the wrong lane is simply alerting them to your presence. It's neither ignorant nor aggressive. Further, it wouldn't be necessary if the driver blocking traffic were less selfish.

In Europe this is a common practice. Flash your lights and the car in front will move over. That's why this feature has become common in cars today. Pull the turn signal lever toward you and it is a momentary high beam switch. It's built into just about every car these days for just this purpose.

Further, in most states it's illegal to pass on the right. This is why most people try to pass on the left.

AIR HORN....
JIM..................

 

[snake803]

Georgia has a new House Bill 459 that allows authorities to ticket those who block the state's left lanes. The bill makes it a misdemeanor for any driver on a divided highway who does not move to the right when a car going faster approaches from behind.

S.Carolina recently passed a law concerning "Impeding traffic flow"....
JIM..........................

 

[1morethan8]

Coming home after working all week in Atlanta, heading north on I-75. Not long after crossing the line at Chattanooga in heavy Friday traffic, a Ford Fairlane pulled up on my rear, I was running 80mph and the right lane was full. I push the peddle down until I could feel the resistance on the peddle... at that point the center carb was 2/3 open and I could run 92mph at that point.
He stayed on my butt until the right lane was clear and I moved over.. he thought he was going to blow by me.. until I started opening all three carburetors! It was clear ahead and time for a little fun. I matched his speed, side by side, and wanted to see how fast that Florida Boy thought that Ford would go?
At the top of White Oak Mountain I had a truck in my lane and moved over behind him... this is the view he had in his rear view mirror at 120mph...

I knew the State liked to sit at the cross-over at the bottom of the mountain.. but he didn't, so I backed off to the speed limit.
I did wave and honk my horn while he was getting a ticket a few miles ahead... sometimes ya just got'a have a little fun!
This was in 1967.. I was running a modified 421 with tri-power in a '66 GTO.

 

[P&R Fan]

Wow, I come down this morning and there are 32 new "likes" on this thread. Guess I'm not alone on this one.
A few people though have taken this a bit too seriously. When I mentioned blowing them away with the .50 caliber mounted on the car I was JOKING, people. No, I am not a road rager. Most I do is when I pass them I give them a dirty look.
I have a really good dirty look.
JIm

 

[loknload]

I'm not a road rager either but in my mind I sure would like one of those push bars they're putting on police cruisers these days!
But then again to add a little class to the situation, wouldn't mind driving down the road in 007's Astin Martin!

 

[labworm]

I was doing the speed limit and in the left lane, lots of traffic in both lanes.

Had a guy in a caddy come up and began tail gating me, flashing lights, honking the horn, having a tantrum.

Well, he eventually blew by me on the right, which is legal.

About 2 miles down the road I came upon the same guy, pulled over by the State Police.

When I went by, I beeped my horn and waived.
Sure made my day.

 

[wbraswell]

Who needs a DB5? All you need is a turbo F250 Super Duty with a cowcatcher on the front.
(A lot of young folks don't know what that is.) (and some middle-aged ones too.)

 

[hangnoose]

PASSING LANE SQUATERS

Yes it bugs me, but I dislike tailgaters more. Having my limit of speeding tickets and safe driving classes (5 times), I have to try hard to keep it only 7-8 mph over the posted speed. I consider this the wiggle room that "normally" won't get you a ticket. If I am doing 7-8 mph over and someone speeds up behind me quick, tailgating, flashing his lights and blowing his horn, especially if he could have easily gone around me, my foot tends to slip off the gas and I coast until he gets the hint. On the other hand if someone behind me at a safe distance flashes his lights BRIEFLY, I will pull over if able & let him/her pass. This is when they usually slow down, get into the right lane and exit on the right 100 yards after passing me. Tailgating is illegal, not to mention rude and dangerous. Here in Gods waiting room the q-tips (white heads barely visable above the steering wheel), squatting in the passing lane is the norm and something you just need to accept it. The passing lane here is effectively now the right lane. Why cops don't ticket the tailgaters, bob and weavers, traffic obstructers/squaters, no headlights when raining, no turn signals, which IMO would really PROTECT AND SERVE, is beyond me. ALL IN ALL it falls into the life's too short to let it get to you, especially if packing. I am a MUCH better driver when armed.